VMworld 2013 Scheduled for San Francisco, Barcelona

VMware Inc. has announced that VMworld 2013 U.S. will return to the Moscone Center in San Francisco August 25-29, celebrating the 10th annual event in the United States. VMworld 2013 Europe is scheduled for Oct. 14-17 in Fira Barcelona Gran Via in Barcelona. More

Microsoft to Release Dynamics CRM Version in Fall

Microsoft Corp. has announced that it will release the next version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM this fall. It promises that the new version will redefine how businesses engage their customers and says the new version is part of a new direction for Microsoft Dynamics to develop business systems that put people at the center. Available online as Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Fall ‘13 and on-premise as Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013, it will deliver more personal experiences to sales, marketing, and customer care professionals. More

Diamlemos Shipping to Use Cisco Cloud Connector for Setel’s SmartBox-V to Support Vessels

Diamlemos Shipping Corp. will implement a unique telecommunications bundle designed for the shipping industry, SmartBox-V. An integrated software and service bundle from Setel running on a Cisco blade server hosted within a Cisco modular 2900 series router, it will allow Diamlemos to reduce the complexity of on-vessel communications equipment and offer a set of crew welfare applications. The project implementation will focus on IT consolidation including a network redesign to replace the existing PBX with Cisco Unified Communications Manager. More

SMBs Adopting Global Mindset

An Oxford Economics research program sponsored by SAP finds that SMBs worldwide and across industries are investing in technology to improve operations and become more efficient and making major changes to their business models, products, and go-to-market strategies. The survey of 2,100 executives from SMBs in 21 countries finds they feel equipped to compete with larger firms and believe they have some clear advantages. Successful SMBs are moving out of their home markets to accelerate growth despite fierce competition from large multinationals. More

CFOs Remain Optimistic, but Underlying Fundamentals Suppressing Near-Term Expectations, says Deloitte

Deloitte’s Q2 CFO Signals Survey finds CFO optimism regarding their companies’ prospects has reached a level not seen for 15 months. That optimism is encouraging investment over cash conservation and a rise in dividend forecasts to an almost three-year high. However, year-over-year sales and earnings growth expectations remain below their long-term averages, suggesting that near-term growth will remain elusive. More

Volatility Squeezing Global Private Label Supply Chain Says Deloitte

A new Deloitte study concludes that rising and increasingly volatile costs are retailers’ top challenges in sourcing private label goods, even as changes in consumer behavior fueled by mobility and online shopping are driving the strategic importance of private label sourcing. The study, Private Label Sourcing: Strategies to Differentiate and Defend finds that rapid population growth in developing countries is both increasing demand on raw materials and providing new markets for low-cost labor, while mobile and social channels encourage shoppers to seek out the lowest prices for consumer goods. These forces make private label products a strategic move for retailers seeking to defend their marketshare. More

KPMG LLP Names Tracy Benard to Lead Accounting Advisory Services

New York-based KPMG LLP Partner Tracy S. Benard has been promoted to lead the firm’s Accounting Advisory Services (AAS) network. She had previously been KPMG’s AAS Financial Services industry leader. She has more than 20 years of experience providing assurance and advisory services to a global client base. More

KPMG Survey Finds Commercial Real Estate Execs Focused on Geographic Expansion

A new KPMG LLP survey has found that commercial real estate industry executives are making geographic expansion a key focus of the coming year based on increasing economic optimism. The 2013 KPMG Commercial Real Estate Outlook Survey finds 58 percent of executives expect to increase spending most on geographic expectation, up from 21 percent in last year’s survey and 11 percent two years ago. In the United States executives most frequently cited the Southwest (45 percent) and Northeast (36 percent) as providing the best commercial real estate investment opportunities. Outside the United States they most often cited Latin America and Asia Pacific. More

Yahoo! Sets 2Q13 Earnings Call for July 16

Yahoo! Inc. has scheduled its 2Q13 corporate financial results conference call for July 16 at 2:oo p.m. PDT/5:00 p.m. EDT. The live webcast of the call can be accessed on the company’s investor Web page and will be available as a recording for 90 days after the event. More

Yahoo! to Add 100 Jobs in Nebraska

Yahoo! Inc. has announced plans to expand its team in La Vista, Nebraska, creating about 100 new jobs in customer care, integration, and logistics. New jobs are being posted on the Yahoo Careers site. More